The 1888 season was the fifth season of regional competitive association football in Australia. There were two league competitions fielded by Northern District British Football Association (Northern NSW) and the South British Football Soccer Association (New South Wales) and three cup competitions.
| Competition | Winners[1] | Runners-up | Third place | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern NSW Football League | Minmi Rangers (3/0) | — | — | |
| Sydney Badge Series | Caledonians (4/0) | — | — |
(Note: figures in parentheses display the club's competition record as winners/runners-up.)
| Federation | Competition[2] | Winners | Runners-up | Venue | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern District British Football Association | Ellis Cup[3] | Minmi Rangers (3/0) | Burwood United (0/1) | – | 3–1 | |
| South British Football Soccer Association | Gardiner Challenge Cup[4] | Caledonian (1/0) | Parkgrove (0/1) | – | 4–2 | |
| Anglo-Australian Football Association | George Challenge Cup[5] | Carlton (2/0) | Melbourne Rovers (0/2) | South Melbourne Cricket Ground | 4–1 |
(Note: figures in parentheses display the club's competition record as winners/runners-up.)